Free car check by registration
Check a vehicle for free using its registration. See DVLA vehicle details, MOT history, tax status and more in seconds.
Free · No signup required · Instant results
- Official DVLA & DVSA data
- Cars, vans & motorcycles
- No account needed
From £15 · Instant · £30k data guarantee
What is a free car check?
A free car check looks up any UK-registered vehicle from its registration number, using official DVLA and DVSA records. You can confirm the make, model, year, colour, fuel type and engine size, and see the current MOT status and tax or SORN status at a glance.
It is useful when browsing listings, verifying a seller's description, or checking the basics on a car you already own.
What's included in a free car check?
The DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) holds records on every vehicle registered in the UK. Our free car check surfaces the key DVLA-held details in seconds, alongside MOT status from the DVSA. It will confirm the make, model, year, colour, fuel type and engine size, tell you whether the MOT and tax are currently valid, and show the first registration date, CO₂ figure and export marker where they are held.
The free check shows the current tax status. How much that tax actually costs depends on the car's CO₂ emissions and tax band.
Free results depend on the data the DVLA and DVSA hold for that vehicle. Where a field is not available, it is simply left out. We never estimate or invent it.
Free car check vs the complete Carpeep report
Both read the same registration. The difference is which records they can reach. DVLA and DVSA data is public, so it is free. Finance agreements, police theft markers and insurance write-off categories are not held by the DVLA at all. They sit with lenders, the police and insurers, and that is the gap the complete report fills.
Free check
DVLA & DVSA records · £0
- DVLA vehicle details Make, model, year, colour, fuel type, engine size
- MOT status Whether the MOT is currently valid, and when it expires
- Tax / SORN status Taxed, untaxed or off road, plus the tax due date
- First registration & CO₂ Registration date and emissions where held
- Export marker Shown when the DVLA records the car as marked for export
Complete Carpeep report
Everything in the free check, plus:
- Outstanding finance Recorded HP, PCP and conditional sale agreements
- Insurance write-off history Recorded categories including Cat S, Cat N and legacy markers
- Stolen markers Recorded against UK police records
- Mileage analysis Every recorded MOT reading checked for discrepancies
- Ownership history The recorded number of previous keepers
- VIN & identity checks Plate changes, cloning and identity mismatches
- Import & export history Recorded import and export markers
- Scrapped status Whether the vehicle is recorded as scrapped
- Full MOT history Every test, advisory and failure since 2005
There is one report, and it contains all of the above for £15. Carpeep does not sell finance, stolen or write-off checks separately, because on a car you are about to buy they are not separate questions.
Want to confirm a vehicle is insured? That is not part of any history check. Use the official askMID insurance check for that.
No check, free or paid, can record every accident, repair or fault. A report shows what is recorded against the registration in the data sources above.
When is a free car check enough?
Often, honestly. If you are scrolling listings, sanity-checking that a seller's description matches the DVLA record, or confirming whether a car you already own is taxed and MOT'd, the free check answers the question and you can stop there.
It stops being enough at the point money is involved. Once you are close to paying a deposit, travelling to view a car, or buying privately without dealer protections, the questions that matter are the ones the free check cannot reach: is there still money owed on it, has it been written off or stolen, does the mileage add up, and is it the car the paperwork says it is. That is the point to run the full car history check, before the money moves rather than after.
More free vehicle checks
Look up a vehicle by its registration
Car spec check →Model, engine size and BHP by reg
MOT check →Current MOT status and history
Tax check →Tax and SORN status by reg
Frequently asked questions
Is a free car check really free?
Yes. The Carpeep free car check is completely free, with no signup or payment. Enter any UK registration number to see DVLA vehicle details, MOT status and tax or SORN status instantly.
What does a free car check show?
A free car check shows the DVLA and DVSA data held on a vehicle: make, model, year, colour, fuel type, engine size, current MOT status and tax or SORN status. It does not include risk checks like finance, theft or write-off history.
Can I run a free reg check?
Yes. A free reg check looks the vehicle up from its number plate and returns the basic DVLA details plus current MOT and tax status. You do not need the V5C logbook or an account.
Is a free car check the same as an HPI check?
No. A free car check confirms basic DVLA details, MOT and tax status. An HPI-style check is a paid vehicle history check that also covers finance, write-off, stolen and mileage records. Carpeep is not affiliated with HPI.
Does a free car check show outstanding finance?
No. Outstanding finance is held by UK lenders, not the DVLA, so it is not part of a free check. You need the full Carpeep report to see recorded finance agreements.
Does a free car check show if a car is stolen?
No. Stolen markers come from police records, which are not part of a free check. A full Carpeep report checks recorded stolen markers along with the other buying risks.
Does a free car check show Cat S or Cat N?
No. Insurance write-off categories such as Cat S and Cat N come from insurer records and are only included in the full Carpeep report, not a free check.
Can I check a car by registration?
Yes. Enter the registration exactly as shown on the number plate and the free check returns the DVLA vehicle details, MOT status and tax status. The same reg unlocks the full report.
Is a free car check enough before buying?
A free check is a useful first step, but it is not enough on its own. It cannot show finance, write-off, stolen or mileage history, which are the risks that matter most before you buy. For those you need a full vehicle history check.
What is the difference between a free car check and a full vehicle history check?
A free check confirms DVLA details, MOT and tax status. A full vehicle history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off history, stolen markers, mileage analysis, ownership history, import/export and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Can I check previous owners for free?
No. The number of previous owners is not shown in a free check. The full Carpeep report includes the recorded ownership count and history where available.
Does Carpeep show MOT and tax details?
Yes. The free car check shows current MOT status and expiry, plus tax or SORN status and the tax due date, using official DVLA and DVSA data. The full report adds the complete MOT and mileage history.
Need more than a free check?
Finance, theft, write-offs, mileage, ownership and more, all in one report.
From £15 · Instant results · No signup · £30k data guarantee